Trust Flies On Fragile Wings
by Kestrez
Summary: DISCONTINUED
1. Unsure Arrival

**Disclaimer** - I don't own any of the X-men, blahblah, I think you all know the drill by now. The only thing I do own is Rika Semele, and this basic plot and its conflicts.

**Author's Note** - Okay, here we go. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. I'm thinking once a week, maybe more since school is winding down. This takes place _after_ X3! Only a few days, actually. I will answer a few reviews at the beginning of each chapter. Enjoy!

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Summary - _As the world recovers from the fight at Alcatraz, so do the students at the Xavier Institute. New students arrive, but emotions are still on the edge. Bobby wonders about Rogue, Kitty wonders about Bobby, Rogue questions her decisions, and Warren's just trying to fit in. Then rumors start to fly about how permanant the cure is, and an old classmate comes back, and people aren't happy. One thing's for sure: in a time like this, trust flies on fragile wings.

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**Chapter One - Unsure Arrival**

The sky was just starting to darken, the sun disappearing slowly into the west. A lone figure made her way slowly up to the Institute, walking as if she had no purpose or reason for being so close to the place, when it was exactly the opposite. The eighteen year old wore dark blue jeans and worn red sneakers. Even wearing an orange tank top, she seemed oblivious to the chilled breeze. She stopped for a moment, gazing at the windows with dark brown eyes that glinted with curiosity, and what appeared to be a hint apprehension.

Rika Semele shifted her feet as she stood, at the same time tightening the ponytail that held back her caramel-highlighted, naturally dark brown hair. How could she not be apprehensive? After being in no prolonged or close human contact for almost two years, besides traveling, how did one just walk into a place like this?

Then again, ever since the battle at Alcatraz that had taken place a few mere days before, the Xavier Institute had probably received many new mutants that were coming out of hiding.

"This could actually prove quire hilarious." Rika said to herself, taking a few steps, more confident now, in the direction of the front door.

After being chased out of her neighborhood in Ohio, across the country, she may as well not be afraid of walking in on this place at this hour.

Her feet carried her to the door, and she found her fingers hovering over the doorknob. Deciding to amuse herself to stop her mind from reeling with the new place, she focused on her fingertips.

Rika's dark brown eyes became laced with yellow as visible static electricity traced its way from her fingers and two the doorknob. There was a moment of silence, and then the knob turned, and the door swung open.

The teenager smiled to herself, flexing her fingers as she shifted the backpack that was slung over her right shoulder. Stepping inside, she was startled by the mere size of what appeared to be the lobby. How on Earth was she supposed to find anything here? Let alone someone that could help her get enrolled...or whatever they did here.

Turning to her right, she followed a broad hallway, and was shocked to find it opening up into another large lobby. There were two tables, a bunch of couches, chairs, a few other games, a huge TV...

And it was occupied. Several kids, all looking younger than her, looked up from a cartoon of some sort. Across the room, two older kids looked up from their game of pool.

Not wanting to catch attention so soon, Rika turned on her heel and made her way back to the first room. Of course, she had been spotted anyways.

"Can I help you?" A feminine voice sounded behind her.

Looking over her shoulder, Rika's gaze fell on a shorter girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She looked to be young, or at least younger than Rika herself.

"Erm...sure." Rika replied rather lamely.

She had been hoping to avoid contact with the other students until she had gotten her bearings around the school. By the looks of the two rooms she had seen, she'd need a map to get around the place.

"Are you new?" The girl asked, her brown eyes glinting with curiosity now. "We've been getting a lot of new faces, and I don't recognize you."

"You guessed right." Rika said, shifting her feet. "Could you help me find one of your teachers...or something?"

"Yep. This way." And with that the girl was running up the stairs.

Rika followed, though at a walk. She wanted to take in the details. She didn't like the prospect of having to ask people for directions more often than needed. Not paying attention, she almost ran into the other girl. She had stopped on a landing a few stairs from the top.

"I'm Kitty, by the way. Katherine, really." She introduced herself. "You'll like it here, everyone does..." She trailed off. "Or...most do, rather."

"Rika Semele." Came Rika's immediate response. She figured that this had something to do with a rather rescent event, but decided not to ask.

"Awesome."

They were soon at the next level of the school. It was obvious that there was at least two more. Once again Rika found herself wondering how she would remember to get everywhere. They walked down several more hallways, all lined with doors, before Katherine stopped in front of a door that was already open. It was obviously an office of some sort.

"New student." Kitty said, leading Rika into the room.

A woman with short silver-colored hair and alert eyes looked up from a stack of papers. After a brief glance at Rika, she got up and offered a hand.

"The Institute is open to any mutant who needs help." She greeted cheefully. "Your can call me Ororo, or Storm, as most students here prefer."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Rika replied. She somehow thought that, as professional as this woman was acting, she had a slight temper. She could here it in her voice. Judging by her Codename, they had at least one thing in common.

"Her name's Rika Semele." Kitty added behind them. Rika mentally chided herself for not giving her name in the first place.

"Well, Rika. I would normally give you a tour myself, but I have way too many papers to catch up on." Storm said, picking up the pen she had been holding when Rika and Kitty had first walked in. "Kitty can show you around, and get you a room. I believe the one next to hers is open, in fact. I come find you later."

"It is!" Kitty affirmed. "Common." With that, they stepped out into the hallway again, Kitty shutting the door to the office as they left.

"The girl's hallway is this way." Katherine provided. Rika took the time to keep pace with the girl this time, instead of just following.

"You're the first one around my age that's come since the incident." Kitty added after they turned a corner. "When you want, later, I can introduce you to my friends."

"Sure." Was Rika's soft reply. She had given up on the idea of not being identified as 'the new student' almost as soon as Kitty had intercepted her.

"Here you go." Kitty said after they had gone up another flight of stairs, opening a door as soon as they turned another corner. "This is your new room. I'm next door." She pointed down the hall, where it split in two. "To the left down there is the guy's hall, and the right leads you downstairs again."

"Thanks, Kitty." Rika offered, this time letting emotion show through her voice. "I really appreciate you showing me around."

"No problem. What are your powers, anyway?" Kitty replied. It was a simple question, one that Rika was not used to hearing.

"Let's just say that my nervous system generates too much electrical current." Rika replied.

Kitty gave her a curious look. Rika almost laughed. That little piece had been one of her sister's theories about her powers. The answer had been automatic.

"Basically, I can control electrical currents."

Kitty smiled this time, totally unsurprised at the news. "Sweet. In case you're wondering, I can walk through walls." Rika guessed that she had seen too many different powers to be surprised.

Rika smirked, looking over her shoulder and into the room behind her.

"Why don't you get situated. I'll come back in a little!" Katherine suggested.

After Rika's brief nod, the other girl was gone, literally disappearing as she walked into the wall across the hall from Rika's room.

Rika herself finally let out a short laugh.

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**Author's Note #2 - **I know, a little lame, but this was mainly to introduce Rika and establish a time period and such. Please Review! 


	2. Introductions Galore

**Author's Note** - Merci beaucoup to all of you that reviewed! A few review replies are at the end of this chapter, since I don't trust my e-mail to work for replies there. This is yet another fill-in sort of chapter, but guess who's coming back in the next one? (grins evilly) Thank you again for reviewing!

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**Chapter Two - Introductions Galore**

Turning around to face the room, Rika was somewhat happy to see that it was plain and simple. A twin-size bed, clean sheets included, two pillows. The walls were painted some sort of cream color. There was a single window on the far wall that the bed was up against. No curtains hung over them at the moment, and Rika threw her backpack on the bed and looked outside. It looked like she was looking out the side of the school.

"I can take this." She whispered, opening the window to the light breeze. Since she could never go swimming, (electricity and all), Rika had grown to enjoy the wind. When others started to complain that it was too cold, she reveled in the late fall weather.

Leaving the door open, she opened her backpack, then tipped it upside down.

Four sets of clothes fell out, along with an extra pair of tennis shoes. Along with that, a photo-album, and finally Rika's favorite purse. She may have been a mutant, but she still acted like a normal teenager...most of the time.

Opening the front pocket, she withdrew a small wad of money. When she had been traveling, one thing she had been able to do was fix computers for cash. It was easy, since Rika could usually pinpoint the problem within seconds with her currents.

The other item in the last pouch was a tennis ball. Instead of the normal yellow-green, it was a light, sky blue. A gift from her younger sister, whom Rika had trusted with the secret of her powers. She had gone out of the state to find the set of three tennis balls. Rika had only brought one with her.

A single tear, unwelcome and sudden, ran down her cheek. Her younger sister had been the only one she could trust with her secret. It hadn't ended up working, after her neighbors had found out, but still, that hadn't been her sister's fault at all.

"I'll never forget the hope you gave me." Rika whispered, gripping the tennis ball firmly in her hand as she let her frustration of the last year and a half out on it. Another tear fell down her cheek.

"You okay?"

Rika practically jumped a foot in the air, eyes laced with yellow for half a second at the unfamiliar and obvious masculine voice. Taking a breath, she turned to face whoever had snuck up on her. And then her breath caught in her throat again.

The young man before her had to be the most startling...okay hot, that she had ever laid eyes on. Bright blue eyes, and slightly untidy blond hair that shouldn't have been natural for anybody.

Realizing that she was staring, Rika blinked several times in quick succession, glancing at the tennis ball in her hand.

"Yes." She replied, delighted to find that, despite the sensitive mood she was in, her voice didn't quaver. Though she knew that it was probably obvious that she had been upset, Rika brushed her damp cheeks with her free hand.

"Sorry." She added, seeing that he was still standing there, looking as if he had just happened to pass her open door while walking down the hall.

"You looked on the brink of crying, there." He said simply, regarding her with his blue eyes. Rika followed his gaze to the small pile of belongings on her bed. Tossing the tennis ball into the pile, Rika shut the window before turning back around. He was still there.

"Ya, I'm a new student." She supplied. "My name's Rika, Semele. I really was fine, just a slight moment of homesickness." She smiled slightly for emphasis.

"I still get homesick, too. I've only been here a little over a week. My name's Warren Worthington...the third."

"Worthington?" Rika finished, cutting him off. "Like..."

And then he cut her off.

"The man that came up with the cure."

There was an awkard silence, and Rika thought it would be an opportune moment for Kitty to come back. It was getting late by now, and Rika had no idea if there even was a curfue or anything like that here. And she hated uncomfortable situations.

"It's nice to meet you." Warren finally offered, stepping into the room and offering a hand.

"Ditto." Rika replied.

Before she had touched his hand, she caught sight of the huge white wings on his back as he stepped forward. The shirt he was wearing was obviously cut a certain way so that the wings were outside. She was startled, not paying attention, and felt his hand jerk away just as they were touching.

Rika grimaced. She hadn't been paying attention, she had been distracted. And she had felt the pulse of electricity that had escaped her fingertips and probably shocked Warren.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Her voice was sincere, worried. That was all she needed, to scare people here, too.

"No, I was just startled. It was just a shock." He looked around the room, probably wondering how that had happened since there was no carpet or anything that could have produced the static.

"Now you know part of why I came here." Rika mused, happy that startling him was all that she had done. "It is nice to meet you, really." She added,still in a good mood since he hadn't acted overly disturbed. She took his hand, which was still outstretched part way. Warren smiled absently, returning the gesture as they had intended the first time.

Hearing footsteps down the hall, he ducked back outside. Rika tilted her head to one side as she caught Kitty's voice drifting down the hall.

"...and I see she's met Angel."

Katherine poked her head inside the room as Warren sidestepped to let her through. "Didn't get very far, did you?" She teased, indicating the pile on the bed. "Rika, I'm sure you're hungry, but we've already had dinner. I've got people for you to meet, and then you can get something to eat."

With a dramatic sigh, Rika stepped into the hall to meet whoever Kitty had brought. She smiled sweetly to the group before her. There were three. A girl probably only a year younger than her with an odd white streak in her hair, a handsome boy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes standing next to her. The last was a dark-haired, muscular man that Rika easily identified as being from somewhere other than America.

"This is Rika, guys. She's the newest arrival here, unless someone else has showed up in the last two hours. Rika, this is Rogue, Bobby, and Peter." Kitty said, naming off the names as each one of them nodded.

"I think you're the first one since Alcatraz to come in that's close to our age." Bobby said after a minute.

Rika only nodded, smiling slightly. She was aware that everyone was looking at her. Her thoughts wandered to what their codenames were. Rogue was obviously the girl's in the first place. She wouldn't try to guess what the two boy's were. Actually, she realized with a glance at Warren, who was shifting his feet a little uncomfortably next to Kitty, Angel was the only one among them with a visible mutation.

It had suddenly ocurred to her that Warren could certainly fly with those powerful-looking wings on his back when Rogue finally broke the silence.

"Are you hungry?" She suggested, taking Bobby's hand in hers at the same time. By the smile that lit up his face, Rika decided that they were a couple.

"Sounds great." She replied, turning to Kitty and winking, since they had planned on eating anyways.

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whoever put "hiya!" - Yes, that is exactly how I felt after watching X3 regarding Angel. I thought his part would be much like Nightcrawler's and was disappointed. Oh well, he'll be in the next one! haha. And Rika's powers may only be very slimly like Jubilee's, as Rika's is more actual electricity currents than blowing thing up with energy. 

touchnotthecat - DUDE! I've been reading your "Nine Lives" fic, and it rocks! Now I'll start reviewing it, too. lolz. And Pyro happens to be my...second favorite. (mwahahaha)

Lauren - You know what, no one had ever even asked if I wanted a beta-reader! Therefore I find this very amusing. If you're online enough, I'd consider it. E-mail me if you still want.


	3. Nightly Returns

**Author's Note - **I have to say, I have never gotten this many reviews this quickly. (hugs everyone) If there are any words scrunched together, it's because the Notepad program I'm using doesn't seem to like me. I'm trying to figure it out, though. heh. Poor Rika...she doesn'trealize who John is...

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Chapter Three - Nightly Returns

Sometime around two hours later, Rika opening the door to her room. Noticing that a clock had been plugged into the wall, she saw that it was eleven forty-seven p.m. Her clothes were still in a pile where she had left them, but there was also a note on top of them. Crossing the room and opening the window again, Rika picked it up and read;

I'm sorry I did not come to find you like I had said, but it looks like Kitty and the others kept you company anyways. As tomorrow is Saturday, classes will not be held, so feel free to get someone to give you a full tour of the school. Come to my office at noon on Sunday and we will discuss possible classes for you.

- Ororo

Folding the note in half, Rika put it on the table next to the clock. Storm was right; Kitty, Rogue, Bobby, Warren, and Peter had been good company.

After being led to the kitchen, she had realized that there really were a lot of kids at the school. The lobby that she had first seen earlier that day had been packed, and the halls had also been moderately filled with students of different ages.

The group had decided on sandwiches. Even though they had all apparently already eaten, everyone had had at least one. Peter and Warren had two each. They had talked about several things, but Rika had mainly listened as they each described their powers. Rogue had seemed unsure about the topic, and Rika was surprised at the nature of her powers. Or rather, what the nature of them had been. By the sound if it, Rika understood how difficult her choice had been. She didn't even think of pressing the matter. Bobby, or Iceman, had startled her by freezing the glass of water she had been drinking. Peter just mentioned being able to cover his entire body in metal.

As Rika had guessed on first meeting him, Warren was shy. He had barely said a word the entire time. She assumed that he was still adjusting to the place himself. Now Rika smiled to herself; he had seemed like a very nice person. She felt comfortable around him. Maybe it was because he was also somewhat new, or maybe it was just this feeling she had that he was actually friendly and trustworthy. Trust was something Rika held close to her heart.

After putting her clothes in a neat pile on the floor at the end of her bed, she turned off the lights and collapsed on the cool sheets, not even thinking to change. She had taken a shower that morning before leaving the hotel she had stayed at.

Laying on her side, she took to watching the dark sky out the window, enjoying the breeze. It was quiet, only the occasional sound of footsteps going by. Thinking of what time she should wake up to eat breakfast, she drifted off to sleep.

The sound of a rather loud car woke her up. She was a light sleeper anyways, and would have drifted back off to sleep had the noise not persisted.

"Come on." She complained into her pillow, opening one eye to read the clock: four in the morning.

Getting up, she flipped the lights on, then peered out the window in time to see a rather expensive looking car turning the corner.

"Someone's really got the time zones messed up, if they're arriving this early." The girl muttered, re-doing her ponytail, which had come loose. She sat still for a moment, listening to see if anyone was coming down the hallway. Then she left her room.

Remembering the basic layout from when Kitty had first led her to her new room, she managed to get to the main staircase, which looked down into the front room.

She leaned against the railing, alert for any noise of approaching persons from above her. After another few minutes, she figured that she was overreacting to some loser driving around late, probably after getting drunk. Turning, she started back up the stairs, and then caught the sound of the front door opening.

"...you won't be in your old room, at least for the first few days. And you better behave. We can change our mind on your first stupid outburst."

Rika froze on the stairs, then crept down them one by one. She didn't know the voice, but she guessed it was a teacher's. It had sounded too old to be that of a student's. Peeking her head around the corner, she could make out two figures standing right outside the open door. One was tall, the other shorter.

"Whatever." The shorter one, also male, muttered.

Rika wondered why his voice sounded so bitter.

"Listen, kid. I didn't support Storm's choice on bringing you back. It's either here, or jail. And with jail comes the cure, and everyone in this building knows that you'd do everything in your power to avoid that path."

The younger man stiffened at the words, and Rika wondered how this mutant was involved with recent events. Had he done something terribly wrong while everyone else was fighting at Alcatraz, or had he perhaps been there?

"Rika? What are you doing up?" Came Storm's voice from behind her.

"Shit." Rika muttered, straightening and turning to look at Ororo. "I..."

"She was listening to us, 'Ro." Came the older man's voice from below them. Rika could see that the two figures were watching them both now.

"And you just let her listen to your conversation, I suppose, Logan?" Storm replied, actually sounding amused. She walked passed Rika, pausing to look at the other mutant.

"Hello again, John."

Rika ran a finger down the handrailing, moving so that she was one step behind Storm. Now she could see this John almost clearly. To put it simply, he looked miserable, and angry, and...just all around unhappy.

John didn't answer Storm, so she turned to Rika instead. "Rika, this is Logan. He's...a teacher here."

Logan seemed amused by the title, and swept his gaze over Rika. Judging by the way he was holding himself, Rika guessed that he was totally unafraid confident in himself.

"I could smell her as soon as we opened the door. It's easy to pick up a new one." Logan added, a rather sarcastic smile forming on his lips.

Storm let out a sigh, rolling her shoulders back as if she was ridding herself of a cramp. "Be nice, Wolverine."

Rika's eyes widened in surprise. She knew that codename, everyone in New York did.

"Can I please go to whatever room you've given me so that I can not meet anyone else?" John finally said. Even though the question was simple enough, he made it sound insulting. Rika tried hard not to glare at him as he watched her with what appeared to be brown eyes.

"Good idea." Logan answered, nudging the younger boy in the back with a finger.

Rika quickly moved out of the way as John walked past. He gave her a side glance, and she offered a flash of a smile. He turned his head away.

"Rika." Storm prompted.

"I just heard a car coming around the corner, I was curious." Rika replied, figuring that the truth was the best idea here. It looked to her as if John's arrival was originally meant to be a secret.

"I'm sure Kitty or one of the others will explain this particular event tomorrow. Logan and myself are talking with them tomorrow morning. Please don't speak to any of them tonight. They're all probably sleeping, like you should be."

Rika nodded, a million questions running through her mind. She decided to only ask one.

"What did he do?" She didn't want to be left out totally when everyone else found out tomorrow.

Ororo seemed to debate whether or not to reply. When she did, Rika was stunned, and wondered why he was being allowed to come back.

"He was one of Magneto's top mutants in The Brotherhood."

Rika nodded silently, but her mind was going through all of the names and news videos that she had seen. She hadn't been in New York when the Golden Gate Bridge had literally been lifted and moved my Magneto, but it had been all over the news, on every TV.

Looking up, it didn't look like Storm was going to give anymore information.

"Well, goodnight, then." Rika said, turning to walk back to her room. Part of her almost wanted to find out where Logan had taken John.

But she didn't want to get in trouble.

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Everyone - I'm trying hard not to rush into the AngelOC and PyroKitty couples! You'll all just have to get over it. Especially the PyroKitty one! (mwahahaha) Don't worry, it will appear...soon. 

HopelessAzn - Yes, it's after X3, so everything that happened in the movie...happened, so Rogue doesn't have her powers.

multiturtle - Peter is Colossus, or Piotr, for the non-American spelling. And yes, I saw the extra ending.


	4. Uneasy Morning

**Author's Note** - Hmm...what can I rant about? Oh, I know! How about the fact that I use John WAY more than Pyro! hehe. And all you people that are reading and not reviewing - I'm watching you. JK! (hugs)

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**Chapter Four - Uneasy Morning**

Surprisingly enough, Rika did manage to fall asleep when she returned to her room. Of course, as she was used to waking up early, she opened her eyes once more to find that only three hours had passed, making it slightly after seven in the morning.

Remembering that Storm would be talking to the others, she found the nearest bathroom and took a very hot shower. She emerged from the bathrooms, then stood for a moment, wondering what to do. She could go wait for the others to get out of Storm's office, or she could eat. But she didn't know if Kitty and the others had eaten anything. Second guessing the latter idea, she decided to go down into the kitchen.

It wasn't until she arrived in the huge, empty room that she realized how early it really was, and remembered that it was Saturday. What kid got up before eight on a Saturday unless they had to?

Silently laughing at herself, she found a toaster, and in a few minutes was sitting alone at one of the tables and spreading peanut butter on a slice of toast.

Hearing someone talking, she looked up in time to see none other than John round the corner. As he had obviously been muttering to himself about one thing or another, she raised an eyebrow in question and amusement

"You again?" John stated, again making the statement sound very sarcastic.

"Not many people get up this early, unless they don't want to be caught in the morning rush to eat." Rika replied slyly, taking a bite of the toast as John crossed the room to open the fridge.

He paused, a hand hovering over the handle.

"Then why are you here?" He finally snapped back.

"New student."

She received a sort of exasperated snort in reply, which almost made her choke on the toast she was eating. To her surprise, John sat across from her, regarding her with not-too-friendly eyes. She assumed he just wanted to get a better look at her.

"What's your problem, anyways?" Rika asked, acting as if she had no idea who he was. It was partial truth.

As he watched her, she watched him, so they were basically glaring at each other for a minute.

Rika recognized him now, from one of the many clips she had seen on the TVs of houses that she had passed while traveling. Now that she thought about it, he actually had stood out among the other Brotherhood, as he was younger, and yet still high-ranking.

"Bad day." John finallyreplied, taking a drink of the Mountain Dew he had took from the fridge.

"It's not even eight in the morning. Did you fall out of bed?"

He glared at her, probably trying to figure out where she was going with the conversation.

Rika smiled sweetly. If he had been apart of The Brotherhood then she felt a right to bother him at the moment, and therefore saw no reason to stop her taunting. She was still trying to figure out why Storm let him back in the building. She must have been missing some piece to this. However, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Bobby's voice drifting in their direction. She was about to mention this to John, but he was already walking out the way he had came in.

As John disappeared around the corner, Bobby rounded on the opposite end of the room, clearly annoyed. Behind him, Rogue looked slightly uncomfortable as she followed her boyfriend.

"I can't believe that Storm didn't turn him in! After everything that he did to us!" Bobby fumed, kicking a chair out of his way as he made his way to the fridge.

"She did say that..." Rogue started, but her eyes fell on Rika.

Hearing her stop mid-sentence, Bobby turned around.

"Morning." Rika greeted, trying to make her voice sound cheerful.

"Hi, Rika." Rogue replied, smiling as she sat across from her, exactly where John had been a minute before. "Sleep well?"

Bobby seemed to have decided to ignore their conversation.

"Ya. I woke up several times, but all in all." Rika said, eyeing Bobby curiously. She was going into her usual probing mode; find out as much as possible without giving anything away when it came to what she already knew.

"What's wrong?" Here she looked back at Rogue, since she didn't expect Bobby to answer.

"What's wrong..." Bobby stated, sitting next to Rogue and looking directly at Rika, surprising her. "What's wrong is that we now have a member of The Brotherhood living at this school...again." Bobby finished, his voice calming a little, Rika assumed for her sake.

"I'm pretty sure that The Brotherhood is no londer in existance. And I know." She replied simply, taking the last bite of her piece of toast.

This, obviously, was the last thing that Bobby and Rogue expected to hear. Rogue sat stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Bobby, who was totally and very obviously aghast at this new information.

"You...what?" He said, shaking his head.

"Sorry." Rika offered, feeling that she had gone too far. "When I woke up last night, Logan was bringing John in. Storm caught me, so they know."

"John." Rogue repeated.

Rika shifted in her seat. She didn't know John's codename, but using his real name in front of a couple of ex-friends might not have been the best idea. She was making a lot of mistakes already, and it was early. Maybe she should have not jumped into this.

"Pyro." Bobby corrected, catching Rika's paused as a weakness. "It's okay. We were never friends, just classmates."

By the look that Rogue shot him, Bobby was lying.

"I think we need to talk." She prompted, glaring at Bobby until he nodded. She turned to Rika. "We're all just a little shocked. You wouldn't understand. We'll see you later."

With that, they were gone, Rogue whispering to Bobby as she led him by the hand out of the room. Rika didn't move for several seconds. Rogue's last sentence had startled her.

She would have to be careful for the rest of the day, and most likely the next, too. Until the shock of John...Pyro's, arrival wore off, she would have to not be so pushy with things.

Because the truth was, in this situation with John's return, she didn't understand.

The sound of more voices coming down the nearby stairs shook Rika from her thoughts, and the girl rose to leave the opposite way. She needed to think. In a different way than the others, John's arrival affected her, too.

Because there was sure to be fights over this.

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Pokemon Fan - Alas...I cannot explain his returning fully right now. Even when I do, some people might not like it. 

Multiturtle - Yes, John is Pyro, and you might want to drill that into your brain for upcoming chapters.

Crystalwish - Fog and Fire! Thank you for pointing that out.

It should have read "...she hadn't been anywhere near San Francisco..."


	5. Rooftop Observatory

**Author's Note** - That last chapter was painfully short, I know, don't worry. So...I give you this one! It's longer, and it has a slight hint of...fluff-ish-ness. And I'm out of school for the summer, whoop. Thank you all once more for the reviews, I love them!

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**Chapter Five - Rooftop Observatory**

Surprisingly enough, the news of John's return seemed to be traveling quite slowly around the school. No one went running through the halls in a panic, and there were no fights.

Rika considered this a good thing. She had seen two more new students arrive just as she was leaving the kitchen, and was happy that no more stress had been put on Storm. Then again, she had an odd hunch that Logan would be watching John for most of the day.

One thing she had noticed, thinking back, was that John had not carried anything with him. Based off of more information from past news, Pyro could not produce fire itself. Rika assumed that whatever he had been using to start the flames had been taken away from him. It appeared that being at the Institute was just another prison.

On the other hand, this one didn't have the cure waiting for him. Another assumption on her part: by the look on his face at the mention of the cure, Pyro wanted nothing to do with it. He was most likely terrified by the thought.

After wandering around the school for almost two hours, Rika found herself in her room once more, tossing the blue tennis ball against the far wall and catching it without moving from where she was sitting on her bed. This had become a game of sorts for her over the past year, when she had nothing else to do. She had even shut the window so she couldn't hear the normal noises of a weekend afternoon.

Throwing the tennis ball for what had to be the sixtieth time, she looked up in time to see Kitty appear through the wall. Katherine let out a startled yelp as the ball flew at her. Of course, it just passed right through her, bouncing back to Rika as if nothing had been in its path.

She caught it.

"I'd rather you not make a habit of that." Rika almost laughed, though she was a serious.

"I couldn't help but be annoyed by the constant knocking against the wall." Kitty replied, smiling as she leaned against the wall she had just phased through.

"I get the point. What's up?"

Katherine shook her head. "Rogue told me that you know about Pyro...John."

Rika put the tennis ball to the side, her attention caught. "You okay with it?"

Again, Kitty shook her head. "I don't know. I mean...there has to be a reason why Storm let him come back. It must have taken a heck of a lot of talking to get Logan to approve." She paused, seeming at a loss for words. "Before he left, I didn't really know him that well. But him and Bobby were really good friends."

"I wouldn't mention that around either of them." Rika responded. "Mainly Bobby."

"Oh, I know. Bobby's so mad. Rogue actually walked away from him so he could blow off steam and she could think a bit."

"I think I'm going to try and not take sides."

At that, Kitty tilted her head, watching Rika with curious eyes. "He was part of The Brotherhood. He killed innocent people."

Rika had a response to that, but retrained herself from actually saying it. As she had decided that morning, she was to keep her mouth shut for the most part today.

Kitty sighed, then looked outside the closed window. It was getting rather cloudy outside.

"It's supposed to rain later." The younger girl said.

Rika turned her gaze to the window, also noticing the clouds. "Really?"

"Ya. I think I'll go outside for a bit. I haven't seen John yet..."

"Okay. I'll see you later, then."

After Kitty left, Rika noticed that she had called John by his real name, only using Pyro when she had first started the conversation. Maybe, besides Bobby, things weren't all that bad.

"Or I'm going crazy." She said with a sigh, feeling as if the mood she had woken up in that morning was long gone. Deciding to take advantage of the weather, she opened her window again. Sticking her head out, she looked above her for a high balcony, easily spotting one.

When she had been traveling and didn't at first have the money to spare for even a motel, Rika had climbed in many a tree to sleep. When she had been in the middle of cities, she had slept on the roof of the tallest building she could find more than once.

Managing to make it to the top floor of the school without being stopped for anything, she now made use of that habit. She was happy to find the room with the balcony empty and unlocked. She guessed it was an old classroom or some other space not being used. Looking over the edge, she was even more delighted to find what she needed to get to the roof; one of the many large vine plants lining the walls.

Using quick reflexes and balance, she was able to get to the roof. She was lucky that the Institute was made of brick on the outside. It made for a very good foothold. The roof was slanted, unfortunately, but Rika was able to find footing near one of the towers at the sides.

"Note to self, come here more often." She breathed, taking in the view.

She could practically see the entire property that the school lay on. Several students were talking under a group of trees to her left, and more were merely walking around the grounds. Rika hadn't realized how nice the place was on the outside. Looking up, her eyes narrowed as she took in the slowly darkening sky. It looked like they were going to get whatever rain was predicted.

Shifting her weight to her heels, she moved so that she could watch the younger kids below her. If it weren't for the rain, she probably would have spent the whole day up there, watching the world around her.

Around half an hour later, one of the kids below her yelled something. Rika looked down to see him pointing to the small group of trees that lay behind the school. Turning so that she could see, Rika smiled as she realized that he hadn't been pointing at the forest, but what was above it.

It was Angel.

As Warren spread his wings to catch a thermal in order to gain altitude, Rika realized just how large the wings were. It was quite the sight, watching him fly, and Warren seemed totally at home in the sky as he turned again so that he was flying away from the school once more.

Below her, Rika noticed that most of the students had gone inside. She wondered if Warren flew around the school every day, exercising his wings.

Hoping that none of them had seen her, Rika started to trace her way around the school's roof, jumping down when it dropped slightly behind one of the towers.

Arms out for balance, her feet carried her to a spot above the gardens. She hadn't seen the place before, nor the three gravestones. However, she knew who they were for. Looking up at the sky, she realized that it was getting darker more quickly. It would rain soon. But now that she was there, Rika didn't intend on going back inside just yet.

She was about to sit down when a rush of wind that wasn't exactly natural made her spin around. A little too quickly, in fact, she realized as she lost her footing. Even though she knew better, she looked down into the gardens behind her, which panicked her slightly as her left foot skid on the roof's shingles. Whether she would have actually tumbled or not, she would never know, as a steady hand suddenly caught her wrist. Only thinking about not falling, she swung her left foot around so that she could spread her feet apart and regain balance.

"I'm sorry."

Rika looked up to see Angel hovering above her. As she stood shocked for a moment, he landed, wings half spread for balance.

"I didn't think I'd scare you like that." He said, repeating his apology.

Rika felt her face grow hot, and was going to reply when she noticed the worried look on Warren's face.

"I'm okay." She whispered. "Thanks for catching me, there."

Warren nodded, and she suddenly started to laugh. Seeing the look on his face, she nodded to where his hand was still gripped around her wrist.

"It looks like we were dancing or something." She said.

It really probably did look like that to anyone that was watching them. Warren had his hand lightly on he wrist, and Rika was standing sideways, feet apart and one arm held out from her side ever so slightly. With Warren standing with his feet apart too, it looked like they had come out of a twirl.

Noticing this, Warren let go of Rika's hand, though he smiled.

Rika shook her head. "I thought it was a little funny."

Again, he flashed her a smile. Rika settled her feet once more, brushing a stray hair that had fallen from her ponytail out of her eyes. She looked up to see Warren watching the sky; it had gotten darker.

"I saw you earlier, flying." Rika stated after a moment of silence. Her eyes fell on his wings for a moment.

"Hm?" Warren replied, looking back at her.

"You love it, don't you? I mean, you have one thing that millions of people dream of every day. That's so...so..." She couldn't think of a word to fit that.

Angel looked a little uncomfortable again. Rika wondered why he was so damn shy sometimes. Then again, she had heard that he had been home-schooled.

"Yes." He finally answered simply.

There was another pause, and Rika wondered how often Warren had actually had someone talk to him about his powers. She doubted he and his father ever had, save for recently. A thought occurred to her, though she wasn't sure if she should ask. Then again, she never let nervousness get her down. Curiosity should have been her middle name.

"Could you extend one for me?"

Angel looked startled out of his mind. "What?"

"One of your wings. If you don't mind...I think that they're beautiful. I'm not going to hurt you. I, just want to touch one." She smirked rather childishly.

Warren looked a little taken aback by the idea, but he slowly extended his left wing. "No one's ever really asked me that. It's not like people have known about them long, since they were strapped to my back all my life." The last part was said rather bitterly.

"They are kind of noticeable."

"I can fold them in pretty tightly."

Rika didn't respond at first, she was too busy keeping her balance so that she didn't embarrass herself again. Aware that Warren was watching her closely, she ran a single finger along one of the ending feathers. It was soft, like any other bird's, but she was startled by the shear color, if you agreed that white was one.

"I'd hate that." She suddenly replied. "I mean, I can never go swimming, so I love the wind, a simple cool breeze. You...you can fly. I would never conceal something as wonderful as your wings. Sounds rather dumb, doesn't it?"

"Not really...why can't you swim?"

"Well, I've never tested it, but my sister used to say that if I were to fall into a body of water I'd electrocute anyone within a mile radius. A massive shock, really, except I might not be able to stop it, as water is such a good conductor."

As she spoke, Rika ran a finger along the bone of the wing. "They're almostexactly like any bird's in anatomy. Do you have problems breathing, when you're flying?"

Warren shook his head. "Never."

"Nice job on the shirt." Rika teased, noticing the crude cut that he had made so that his wings could slip through.

He actually chuckled. "It's such a pain, getting a shirt on every day."

Rika stopped, a hand poised above the outstretched wing, reveling in the sound of his voice.

"There is a solution to that." She replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Warren turned his head to look at her, looking as if he was going to reply. However, his blue eyes only lingered on her for a moment before they shifted back towards the garden behind them both.

"It's Pyro."

Rika stepped around him as he tucked his wing in. Looking down into the garden, she could see John standing in front of the center tombstone; Xavier's. He had his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched over so no one could really see his face from the sides.

"Maybe we should go inside now." Warren suggested with aside glance at Rika.

"How come? He's just standing there, and we're up here. And the weather's nice."

Even though Warren's wings were noticeable anyways, Rika sat against the slant of the roof, using her arms to hold her up. She didn't really care that John was below them, or that he would probably see them eventually. What she did care about was the fact that she was on the roof with Warren. He was easily the person she felt most comfortable around so far at the school, besides perhaps Storm.

Without warning there was a peel of thunder off in the distance, and several raindrops fell against Rika's hair. Still standing above her, Warren smiled. "That's why we should go inside."

"Well...the weather's still nice." Rika replied, an innocent smile on her face.

They both laughed. Realizing that John would have heard them, Rika glanced down into the garden, only to see that he was gone. Or at least, he had moved out of the rain.

Actually...Rika wasn't getting very wet. Looking ahead, she could see that it was still raining lightly. Tilting her head back, she realized that Warren had spread his right wing again, blocking a good deal of the rain from Rika by tilting it back.

He was watching her, and by the glint in his eye she could tell that he saw the look of surprise on her face. "I'm still getting wet." He stated, though he didn't move.

"Well, then." Rika replied, standing up and gently moving the wing away. Just like a bird's, the water was rolling right off of it.

"Hungry?" Warren suggested, tucking both wings tightly to his back. As if on cue, the rain started coming down harder. It would be hard to walk on the roof soon.

"Sure. I got up here by climbing the wall. I'll meet you down in the kitchen. I'd say 'I'd race you', but that seems highly unfair, since you can fly." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I've got a better idea." Angel said, offering her a hand. "Trust me?"

Rika instantly felt her heartbeat quicken. "You mean?"

"I've carried my dad, and I somehow doubt that you weigh more than him, or equal, for that matter."

All Rika did was nod, and then Warren had swept her up from where she was standing and leaped off the roof. She couldn't help but let out a small gasp, or maybe it was a scream, as he spread his wings and they halted midair.

"Guess I should have warned you." He said with a very handsome smirk.

Rika, still partially trying to catch her breath, smiled, and then felt her face grow warm. She could feel Warren's shoulder muscles working with every stroke of his wings, even though they were basically just hovering a few yards above the gardens. She had totally forgotten about the rain.

"No, I loved it." She finally replied.

"I didn't even move." Warren informed her, another smirk on his face because he knew that she was flustered. "If it wasn't raining, I could show you what it's like to really fly."

"I'd like that." Rika whispered, noticing how close they were to each other.

Angel slowly lowered himself to the ground, and Rika barely felt a jolt as they reached solid earth. He folded his wings tightly to his back, letting Rika step away as he did so.

"Rika, Warren? Where'd you come from?"

Both of them turned to see Kitty leaning against the railing.

And John was standing next to her.

* * *

marinawings - Oh, she'll get a codename...soon, actually. I'm happy that you like the stry so much! 

touchnotthecat - I'm happy you still think it's so good, even if you don't totally support the couples!

All - If I do start making John too...nice...tell me. And yes, Rika has a rebel side to her, so I'm happy that you guys approve! She does have a sensitive side to her, obviously. She too damn curious for her own good.


	6. Uncomfortable Situations

**Author's Note** - OMG! School got out and now I haven't updated in like...three weeks! What am I doing! (hits self in head) Okay, this chapter might not be the best, but it's to show that I am here! My family dropped a surprise two week camping trip on me and well...I was sort of stuck on the plot. But I'm good now! The fun stuff starts really soon...mwahahaha. Enjoy-ness!

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**Chapter Six - Uncomfortable Situations**

There was a minute of silence as the four mutants looked at each other. If it had been only Kitty, Rika was sure that this would not have been the mood of the situation. The problem was, then, John.

Figuring that no one else would do anything first, Rika took Warren by the hand without thinking and led him to where Kitty and John had been talking; on the sort of porch that was sheilded from the rain.

"We were just talking. Sorry if the whole 'coming out of thin air' part startled you." She offered in what she knew was an all-too-cheerful tone. Noticing that she was still holding Warren's hand, she dropped it without looking back at him.

"Can't imagine where." John replied.

Rika thought she actually heard a hint of amusement in his voice, and reacted by shooting him a rather dirty look.

"We didn't want to be stuck out in the rain, and Warren suggested that we get something to eat." She added, ignoring his remark.

"It's not like it was a big deal." Katherine interrupted, somehow catching onto the fact that John and Rika were about to launch into a verbal battle. "It was sort of funny, really."

Rika had the fleeting impressions that Kitty was lying through her teeth. By the look on John's face, he just wanted to get out of the vicinity as quickly as possible. Once more she wondered just how much he feared the cure, to have come back.

And then Rika glanced at Warren, and found that he was watching John with a look that clearly said 'I don't like you'. If she had been invisible, she would have smacked herself in the face and moaned.

"You guys want to come with us?" She offered instead.

"What?" John and Kitty responded almost instantaneously. They both blinked, glanced at each other, and returned their gace to Rika as if nothing had happened.

Rika decided that she would somehow get Kitty to tell her what they had been talking about before she and Warren had dropped in.

"Go get something to eat." She finished.

"Sure." Kitty replied instantly.

"I'm not hungry." Was John's response.

"Bull." Kitty shot back, and Rika even heard Warren take a sharp breath of surprise at hearing the girl's tone. "You were just saying that you hadn't eaten anything all day."

"He had a Mountain Dew for breakfast." Rika put in, trying to break the ice that was quickly forming. "Other than that, he could be starting a hunger strike."

John glared at Rika for a moment, then looked back at Kitty, who had put a rather pleading look on her face. He totally ignored Warren's presence.

"Fine, but only because I really am hungry."

"Told ya." Kitty almost snickered.

Rika was getting rather annoyed at this point. She knew that everyone was uneasy with John, or Pyro, whatever they were each calling him. She also knew that, for Storm and Logan's sake, they were probably all trying to make the best of it. However, wasn't there a rule of some sort that said if you keep all your true emotions pent up they'll blow up in your face? In Rika's opinion, the only one that had shown a real reaction to John's return was Bobby. And maybe Warren, though she wasn't sure about him.

"Let's get inside. I hate the rain." John finally prompted.

They all followed him inside, Kitty making an effort to walk alongside him. Rika hung back with Warren, suddenly wishing that they were back on the roof in their little makeshift dance stance. She shook her head.

"Something wrong?" Warren asked, obviously seeing the gesture.

"Oh, no." Rika replied sheepishly. "Is anything bothering you?"

"Not really."

"Mhm."

He gave her a soft smile, and her mood lifted a little. Somehow, she'd get him to tell her what he thought of John. That made two people she needed to talk to after this; Kitty and Warren. Or she could leave everyone alone, but that would have to be decided later. However, the idea of spending the rest of the day in her room was almost inviting.

"You don't believe me." Warren added, apparently wanting the conversation to continue.

"No offense, but the look you were giving John wasn't exactly the nicest."

Warren stopped walking, and Rika did a double-take in order to turn back and face him. She was startled to see a rather startled and...perhaps hurt, look in his eyes.

"Put two and two together, Rika." He half whispered, obviously not wanting John and Kitty to hear, even though they had continued walking. "John." And he put a bitter tone to the name. "...happened to be one of, oh, the hundreds of mutants who would like nothing more than to see my father dead."

"Warren...I..." Rika started, not even knowing what she had planned on saying.

He cut her off anyways.

"No...it's just, I don't like it. I made the decision to come here to escape the cure myself...but I forgave my father. He was just doing what he thought was right, what he thought was the best way to go."

"Then...why are you still here?" Rika voiced, locking her gaze with his.

"Because, this place is more of a home to me than my real one ever was."

He brushed passed her, his pace quickening to catch up with Kitty and John. Rika had the crazy idea to turn around and go to her room, but her concious held her in place. Warren was sort of like her, caught in between showing his true feelings and trying to fit in and keep everyone else calm.

She literally jogged to catch up to him, and purposely brushed her arm against his. Even though she wanted to go upstairs and throw something out the window, she didn't want to totally ditch any of them...mainly Warren. Walking into the kitchen, she had second thoughts about not doing just that.

Peter and Logan were both leaning against the counter, talking quietly. Kitty was getting several things from the fridge, including what appeared to be a large carton of ice cream. John sat at the table farthest away from Logan and Peter.

"How many uncomfortable situations are we going to be in today?" Rika said under her breath, smiling to Peter and Logan as they made their way to the table John was sitting at.

"Getting into a lot of trouble already, Sparky?" Logan suddenly said as she and Warren were sitting down.

"You've got to be kidding me." Rika replied loudly, shooting Kitty a look. She was the only one that would have told Logan or Storm what her powers were.

Kitty, carrying several spoons, bowls, and the ice cream, smiled to Logan, and Rika heard Warren laugh shortly.

"Nope. I've behaved." Rika finally finished, deciding to ignore the name.

No one spoke, not even Peter and Logan, and the only sound heard was Kitty attempting to open the ice cream. Rika wanted to laugh, but instead watched Warren, who kept glancing from Logan to John. In fact, Logan and John were staring at each other.

"I'm not even doing anything!" John suddenly shouted, abruptly looking away after the last word had left his mouth. "We're sitting in the kitchen, for Christ's sake! I'm not going to blow it up!"

"Watch your mouth, bud." Logan said, and then proceeded to leave the room.

John put his head down on the table, but surprisingly didn't get up to leave as Rika expected.

"Finally!" Kitty exclaimed with a side glance at the door. "Who wants ice cream?"

"I'll have some." Rika replied. Beside her, Warren nodded.

Kitty put a rather extreme amount of the chocolate ice cream into each bowl, and added an extra scoop to the boy's just to empty the carton the rest of the way. For a few minutes, everyone ate in blissful silence.

"Brainfreeze." Rika mumbled after taking a large bite.

"Whimp." John muttered shortly.

"Shut it before I electrocute your spoon." Rika shot back, though she made sure to keep her voice light.

"Is that a challenge, Sparky?"

"Whatever."

Rika noticed that Kitty was trying not to laugh.

"All right, then." She said, a smirk forming on her lips. "Last one done eating their ice cream has to buy lunch for everyone else tomorrow." She knew it was a little childish, but she had to do something or she was going to leave.

John's look darkened, and Rika paused with a spoon of ice cream half way to her mouth.

"You think I can even get a foot out of the front door?" He spat angrily, glaring at Rika as if she had said it on purpose.

"She...didn't mean...it, John." Kitty stammered, glancing at Rika to make sure it was true. "She wasn't thinking."

"Sure." John pretty much hissed, finally dropping his glare.

Rika let out a heavy sigh, and glanced around the once more silent table. She was such an impulsive thinker sometimes, and she paid for it often enough. "Sorry." She muttered.

She got no response, and again wanted nothing more than to be out of the damn room before anyone else said anything. Or, for that matter, came in the room to cause more trouble.

"I think I'm going to go back to my room...organize some more." She stated, getting up and taking her bowl of almost-eaten ice cream to the sink. Even though Kitty knew the truth, that Rika had already organized her few belongings, she didn't protest.

Walking out of the room, Rika almost wanted to go back and take Warren with her. For some reason, Kitty seemed to be the only one that could connect with John for even a split second.

* * *

Silverwind24 - Yay! I had such a hard time writing that chapter and this oneactually, but I love Chapter Five now. 

marinawings - Thank you so much! I loved the review, lol.


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